The Resurrection
April 4, 2026 | Addie Hoffman
About the author: Addie Hoffman is a junior at Zionsville High School. She has been attending ZPC with her family since she was a freshman. Addie enjoys helping with the 2nd graders in Bigs, attending HSM, and going to the Miller’s house every Tuesday night for Bible Study. Outside of ZPC, Addie runs cross country and track, works at Interactive Academy, and spends time with her friends and family.
Scripture
After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Matthew 28:1-10
Matthew’s final chapter recounts Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. It takes place on the first day of the week, Sunday morning. The tomb is discovered after a great earthquake when an angel of the Lord rolls the stone away. This was no vision or hallucination. Even the guards, who were battle-hardened soldiers, were terrified as they had never witnessed anything like this before. When the women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, saw this, they took hold of Jesus’ feet and worshipped Him. This demonstrates His identity as the son of God and declares His victory over sin and death.
This is the best news of all! The cross was not a place of defeat, but a display of the greatest act of love. Through these weeks of waiting, watching, and preparing during Lent, Resurrection Sunday comes as a joyous celebration but before we know it’s Monday and we’re back to our regular routines.
Something I’ve always found challenging is the time a few weeks after Lent or a church retreat when I’m fully immersed again in the challenges of everyday life. The days and sometimes weeks right after a retreat, I feel especially close to God and am eager to take the new things I’ve learned and apply them to different parts of my life. But I feel the farther I am from the reality of the retreat, I slowly start to lose sight again, and Satan is quick to attack as soon as he sees an opening. Because of that, it’s important not to give him that opportunity. Instead, we should continue holding onto Jesus remembering that He never stopped holding onto us after the resurrection. The way I hold on is continuing in daily prayer and taking time each day to reflect on scripture.
Jesus has risen, and He lives not just on Easter Sunday, but every day. The resurrection shows the truth of the continuation of the Lord’s love for us!
Activity
In Matthew 28:7 the angel tells the women, “Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead.” The resurrection was never meant to be a quiet message kept in a single season. From the very beginning, it was something to share and celebrate. Bring up in conversation at least once this week about the victory of the cross and the Lord’s love for us. This could look like sharing something you’ve learned, inviting someone to church or explaining what the resurrection means to you.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank You for the power of the resurrection. Lord, help me remember that it is not just a moment but a truth I can live in every day. Even when life gets distracting, please guide me to keep seeking You in prayer and scripture. Please give me the courage to share this good news with others and to live in a way that reflects Your love.
Amen